Things to Do at Mercado de la Ribera

Europe's largest covered market curves along the Nervion River in Art Deco style - stained glass windows, iron columns, and three floors of food that have been feeding Bilbao since 1929. The ground floor is the main event: fish counters piled with txangurro (spider crab), hake, anchovy, and squid so fresh the tentacles still curl. The vegetable section has Gernika peppers, white asparagus from Navarra, and Tolosa black beans. The cheese counter stocks Idiazabal smoked over cherry wood. The first floor was renovated into a gastropub-style space where vendors serve pintxos and small plates at standing counters. A txakoli wine (the slightly fizzy Basque white, poured from height) costs EUR 2-3, a plate of Iberian ham EUR 8-12. Saturday mornings are the busiest and best - arrive by 9 AM to see the market at full volume. The river-facing terrace upstairs has tables where you can eat your market purchases with a view of the Casco Viejo across the water.

Mercado de la Ribera sits in Bilbao's Casco Viejo, so you'll stumble across it while exploring the old quarter anyway. From the Guggenheim, it's a 15-minute walk across the river- pleasant since you'll cut through different neighborhoods. The nearest metro stop is Casco Viejo on Line 1. This puts you at the market's doorstep. If you're coming from other parts of the city, take the metro since parking in the old quarter is a nightmare. The riverside location makes it easy to spot once you're close.